My Name Is Robert
by Chiefie
Summary: Now complete! A look into the life of a forgotten character, and what happens when he tries to make himself known (added an author's note, and ballot for Miss Matched's fanfiction awards).
1. My Life

My Name Is Robert By Chief  
  
1  
  
Hi. My name is Robert.  
  
Most of you out there are probably saying "Who?" when I tell you this, but my name is Robert. I guess I've never been the most popular person, and nothing ever seems to revolve around me, so I usually just stay in the background. I like it that way.  
  
I guess since you know who I am now; most of you will probably think I should tell you a little about myself. I live in Hillwood City, and was a fourth-grader at P.S. 118, along with all of my friends. I tend to get invited to many things, although I'm never the focal point of them. So you've probably seen me around before.  
  
But now, things are finally going to change. I think it's about time that I was noticed, that someone actually cared about who I was, and after what happened, I'm quite positive that I got the attention I deserve. Of course, I don't know what kind of attention that I was going to get.  
  
"Brrrrrringggg!!!"  
  
"Good morning, Robert!" My mom yelled at me as my alarm went off. "Start getting ready for school!"  
  
It was a beautiful spring morning. The sun was shining brightly through the window by my bed. There didn't seem to be a cloud in the sky. Spring always was my favorite season. You had the anticipation of summer arriving, and the weather was perfect for outdoor activities, without getting burned to a crisp. Sometimes I would just sit outside my house and enjoy the day.  
  
My parents typically didn't appreciate days like this however. My mom and dad both worked Hillwood Medical Center, the huge hospital on the east side of town, where my mom was a surgeon while my dad was a doctor. Typically I would see them for about ten minutes in the morning, and usually not see them again until I ate dinner with them, around 8pm in the evening. They were usually so busy with their work to enjoy days like this, or even sometimes, enjoy my company. I knew they loved me, however, I just wish sometimes they would show me.  
  
Well, anyway, I put on my olive green shirt and my favorite maroon pants, and got ready for another typical day at school. I walked downstairs, to say goodbye to my parents.  
  
"Good bye, sweetie. Got to get to work! Surgery planned in an hour," said my mom as she rushed out the door.  
  
"Later, son. See you this evening," followed my dad as he copied the same routine and went off to the hospital.  
  
I walked back to the kitchen, and got down some cereal for breakfast. Cereal was a necessity in my house, since I had no brothers or sisters to cook for me, and there was rarely any other food to eat for breakfast. My parents only cook on special occasions, like on birthdays, holidays, and other special events of the sort.  
  
Well, I ate my cereal, and walked outside to get on the bus. After about five minutes, it came and picked me up, just like every other morning.  
  
As usual, I paid my bus fare, and spotted my best friends, Phoebe and Helga, in the back. My only other good friend, Sid, didn't usually ride the bus, so I would just talk to Phoebe and Helga.  
  
"Hi, Helga, how's it going?"  
  
"Oh, hey Robbie."  
  
"Good morning, Robert," added Phoebe. "I believe Helga might be slightly aggravated this morning, so it might be appropriate to just enjoy the ride without much conversation." Due to that, I tried to stay quiet.  
  
I knew a lot of people considered Helga a bully and a jerk, but most of them don't even try to get to know her. Under that tough interior lies a thoughtful, caring, person, and I think She just tries to tries to hide these feelings to make herself look tough.  
  
Helga was madly in love with Arnold, one of my classmates. Arnold was a good guy, and I hung out with him occasionally. I sometimes went places with him and his friends, and was even a member of their club. I had been hoping that Arnold would get to know Helga better and see how much she really cares, but he hasn't seemed to attempt to yet, and Helga's bullying toward him didn't help.  
  
Sadly, Helga's parents didn't even see her as she was, and they often treated her like mud. In fact, that was probably the reason she was so irate that morning. So I just tried to keep to myself while waiting to arrive at school. And then SHE stepped on the bus, to her usual seat in the front.  
  
Rhonda Wellington Lloyd. Without a doubt, Rhonda was the most beautiful girl I had ever seen in my life. Rhonda was the greatest girl, and she seemed to have it all: She had the looks, she had the brains, and she had no idea I even existed. I wanted to just go up there and sit with her, but I figured she would just laugh at me and send me back here. Plus, I didn't want to make my classmate Curly mad, since not only did he like her, he was insane.  
  
"She's.on.the.bus," I said in awe while watching her graceful steps to her seat.  
  
"Aw, crimeny, Robbie! Why don't you just go sit with her so we can all be in peace!"  
  
"I will if you go sit with Arnold."  
  
"Never mind," said Helga quickly.  
  
"I believe we have arrived at school," said Phoebe, interrupting my conversation. I knew that I couldn't just sit with Rhonda right now, anyway. I wanted everything to be flawless the moment I finally got the courage to walk over to her and say hello.  
  
And that's what I thought about as I walked through the doors of P.S. 118 for another day of school.  
  
As usual, the halls of P.S. 118 were congested with students, some of them goofing off, while others just getting prepared for school. I slowly walked to my room that morning, still thinking of a way to impress Rhonda.  
  
About five minutes later, I walked into Mr. Simmons classroom, and the school day began. I never was truly exceptional in school, like Phoebe Hyerdahl, or even Arnold, but I always seem to do fairly well, good enough to get A's and B's on my report card, and good enough to please my parents.  
  
Unlike most days, Mr. Simmons started class today with an important announcement.  
  
"Good morning, class! Now this morning, we are not going to have a math lesson, instead we are going dedicate today to one of the most special writers of all time: William Shakespeare!" As usual with Mr. Simmons "special" events, the class lets out a series of groans with Harold Berman making some remark about thinking that was a sandwich.  
  
We spent the virtual rest of the morning learning about a million different aspects of Shakespeare, but right before lunch came a REAL announcement.  
  
"Okay, now that we understand Shakespeare and his special way of writing poetry, or sonnets, you all are going to write your own special sonnet for school tomorrow! I want you all to try your hardest on these, for the best one will get to share their sonnet at the open house this Friday!"  
  
And then, I realized, I was given a golden opportunity.  
  
"Okay, here's than plan," I said.  
  
It was now lunchtime, and I was talking with Helga, Sid, and Phoebe. We usually just blabbed about pointless stuff that happens at school, or hint about Helga's secret to each other.  
  
But today was different.  
  
"I think I've figured out a way for Rhonda to notice me, you guys."  
  
"What, are you going to paint yourself blue and dance the flamenco?" Said Helga in her typical sarcasm.  
  
"Oh, yeah, Helga," I replied, finishing the situation. "Actually, I think if I can write the perfect sonnet, dedicate it to Rhonda, and recite it at open house in front of everyone, including her! She'll have to be flattered."  
  
"Yeah, but don't you think that Curly might be a little bit upset! You've seen what happens when he gets pissed, and it isn't pretty, replied Sid to me.  
  
Of course, Helga added, "Well, you can try, Robbie, but I'll give you the best competition you can get."  
  
I knew that Helga was the best poet in the entire class, with her series of beautiful poems on "The boy with cornflower hair (it's amazing Arnold hasn't caught on yet)," and this was going to be a challenge to get to be able to recite Friday night. However, I knew I could do it. So after that, I decided from that moment on, to never sleep until that poem was written and Rhonda Lloyd was all mine. 


	2. Obstacles and Goals

2  
  
It was recess time now, and that could only mean one thing:  
  
"Club meeting!!!"  
  
Everyday at recess, Arnold's club would meet over by the jungle gym, usually just planning for things after school or our monthly visit to Dinoland. We really didn't have a name for our club, but I just called it "Arnold's Club", since he always led the meetings.  
  
Within two minutes, all of the guys walked over to the jungle gym to begin the meeting. Almost every guy that was in Mr. Simmons class was there, while the girls just did their own thing during recess.  
  
Arnold started off our meeting with his talk on the school dance: "Okay guys, as you all know, next Friday is the spring dance, and we need to decide whether or not we are going to ask girls to go with us or not."  
  
"I reckon girls are okay, on account of it's much better than dancing with guys," said Stinky Petersen, one of Arnold's friends.  
  
"Why don't we just take a vote?" suggested Sid. "It'd be the easiest thing to do."  
  
"Okay, Sid. Everyone who wants to ask girls, raise your hand." It was a unanimous vote, and everyone voted for it, except for Eugene Horowitz, who hadn't hit any stage of puberty whatsoever.  
  
"I guess we'll take girls, then," said Arnold. "Now we just have to decide who to take. It's best we decide here, that way nobody ends up mad. Of course, I'll ask Lila." Lila James was one of Rhonda's friends and supposedly "the love of Arnold's life".  
  
"I'll take Phoebe, then," said Gerald Johanssen, Arnold's best friend.  
  
"And I believe I shall ask Nadine," said Peter Carr, otherwise known as "Peapod Kid". He was one of the richest guys in P.S. 118, along with Lorenzo Gonzalez, who just moved here. Nadine Opall was a nature freak that loved every known species of bugs. It was a very unlikely couple.  
  
"I reckon I'll take Sheena," said Stinky.  
  
"And I'll take Rhonda," said Curly.  
  
I accidentally mumbled "not if I can help it," but I don't think anyone heard me. Every girl was now accounted for, except for Helga.  
  
"Hey Robert, why don't you take Helga?"  
  
"I.uh.ah.if.." I really wish I had come up with a better answer than that.  
  
"Okay then, everything is set now, so I guess this meeting is adjourned."  
  
That really wasn't a very good meeting for me, but I figured that Rhonda would never go to a dance with a psycho like Curly anyway, so I still had a chance. I wouldn't go to the dance with Helga, even though she was my friend.  
  
And with that, recess was over, and we all went inside. On the way in, I was actually able to catch up with Helga.  
  
"Hey, Helga, I think we better do something with our relationships soon."  
  
"And why is that?"  
  
"I think people are starting to think that we should go out together. The even are trying to get me to ask you to the dance."  
  
"Oh, please, you're great and all, Robbie, but I couldn't go to the dance with you."  
  
"That's why we better do something quick. Or we may be forced to."  
  
"Okay, then I'll think about it. See-ya later, Robbie."  
  
"Bye, Helga."  
  
I could tell that Helga was scared, but who could lame her? After all, I was, too, and she didn't have to worry about ticking off some psycho.  
  
That's when I realized that the bell was about to ring, and had to head back to class.  
  
School went pretty decent for the rest of the afternoon. Mondays were show-and-tell, which consisted of watching Harold eat three whole bags of Doritos, Eugene's slides from his clog dancing class, and Lila's corny stories of "back home". Usually these things would mildly entertain me (except for the slides), but I just couldn't concentrate. I was either thinking of a sonnet to write, or of how to ask Rhonda to the dance without Curly knowing immediately. Thankfully, Rhonda did her weekly fashion report at the end of the hour, and that pretty much woke me up, to find out what was "all the rage". Sadly, it wasn't green shirts, maroon pants, and square glasses.  
  
Everyone had to do show-and-tell once a month, and this was Sid's last chance to do something without failing. However, he didn't seem to have anything. He was rapidly scanning through his bag for something to show. We'd already seen his beetle boots three times, so he was running out of ideas. Unfortunately, those dreaded words came:  
  
"Sid?"  
  
"Uh.yeah.Mr. Simmons," drawing it out as much as he possibly could.  
  
"It's time for you to show us what special thing you've brought for us to see this afternoon."  
  
As figured, Sid slowly walked up to the front of the class, stalling as much as humanly possible. He was obviously drawing blanks from everywhere. All he managed to squeak out he must have gotten from old Calvin and Hobbes strips.  
  
"Well, I don't have anything to show today, but I have something to tell. As soon as I leave the house, my mom puts on a patriotic leotard and red boots and fights crime as a super heroine. I'm sure you're all deeply impressed."  
  
Mr. Simmons wasn't obviously a big Calvin and Hobbes fan, since I watched him give Sid a failing grade while the rest of the class laughed at Sid's antic. Sid didn't seem to be laughing, though, as he pounded his head on his desk.  
  
Thankfully, the bell rang, which meant that I would finally be free for the afternoon. I couldn't wait to be home and start my sonnet, but Arnold and the rest of his gang stopped me.  
  
"Hey Robert, do you wanna come to Gerald Field to play some baseball? We could use a left fielder."  
  
"I'm sorry guys, but I got to go to a.doctor's appointment!" I exclaimed as I ran away before getting suspicious. "But isn't his pa a doctor?" I heard Stinky say as I hopped on the bus and hid as well as I could.  
  
On most days I probably would have stayed with them, but today was different. Today I had a sonnet to write. 


	3. The Sonnet and the Sunset

Okay, I guess I need to put the legal stuff on here now. Although I wish I did, Hey Arnold! Is not owned by me and the characters and other stuff are copyright of Viacom.  
  
3  
  
The bus ride seemed to take forever. I guess I was in such a hurry to get home, that the anticipation nearly to the brink of insanity. To make matters even worse, Helga got a ride home from Phoebe's parents, so I just sat in the back of the bus, with no one to talk to.  
  
Finally I got home around for o'clock, so after I ate a light snack, my poetry session began. I had about four hours until my parents would get home, so I thought I would have plenty of time to spare. So I walked into my room and sat down at my desk in front of my bedroom window. The setting was then perfect, but I just couldn't think of any good way to start a love sonnet! To me, the first line had to be perfect; otherwise the reader would lose interest and practically fall asleep. The line had to flawlessly describe my love for Rhonda, and I probably wasted two hundred sheets of paper trying to do so. So after a while, I just started thinking of how I communicate from her, but then, I realized, the most I've ever even said to her was "Hi, Rhonda". However, I did share a different kind of communication with her that I didn't think about at first. I even did that very morning! So in excitement I began to be struck with some sort of inspiration. Slowly I came up with:  
  
I've seen you from places so faraway  
  
I smiled to myself then, and realized how nice that sounded. Suddenly, the rest of the stanza seemed to come to me so easily:  
  
I've seen you from places so faraway  
  
And I have found you from spots much nearer  
  
I have viewed you almost every day  
  
  
  
There is nothing that I have held dearer  
  
After that, I looked at the clock. It was six o'clock, and I had wasted two whole hours on four lines. Those might have been the most difficult four lines I had ever written to that date and beyond. They described by love perfectly, and they even met all the requirements. After that, the rest of the sonnet came to me like I was in some sort of a trance, or, at least, until I realized something. All famous poems all kinds of extra literary stuff in them, and mine should, too. So I went back and added a couple of similes and metaphors to give it that finishing touch. I had made a perfect sonnet, one that I thought Helga couldn't even beat.  
  
I've seen you from places so faraway  
  
And I have found you from spots much nearer  
  
I have viewed you almost every day  
  
There is nothing that I have held dearer  
  
Yet when I see you, petrified to speak  
  
Of all the things that I have so much thought  
  
Yet when you're around, I get quickly weak  
  
Despite pounds of love that I have then brought  
  
I am always trying to look for the time  
  
Frantic as a creature, scanning for food  
  
But is clandestine love really a crime?  
  
So I try, even if it does no good  
  
But in these thoughts, I bear nearly no shame  
  
My mind water calm, but my heart untame  
  
After that, all I needed was a title. That wasn't too difficult, since I really liked line nine of the sonnet. I just simply called in Clandestine Love.  
  
I finished my sonnet at about 7 o'clock, so I had about an hour to just hang out for a little while until my parents showed up from work. This gave me the opportunity to just sit outside and watch the sunset.  
  
It was a beautiful evening. The sunset unveiled a crimson sky before me that almost overcame me with amazement. Sometimes I just felt like sitting out and watching the sunset for as long as I could. It gave you one of those feeling that no matter what was going on in your life, it would all be okay. Then something unusual happened. As I watched the beauty before me, I saw a red sweater and black pants walk by me. I was just barely able to say anything, but I managed to squeak out:  
  
"Hi, Rhonda."  
  
She turned around and spoke to me personally for the first time ever. "Um, hi.what's your name again? I recognize you from our class."  
  
"Rhon.I mean, Robert! Yeah, my name is Robert."  
  
"Well, Robert, it is delightful to see you," she said in a half-friendly voice. "Now if you don't mind me asking, just what are you doing?"  
  
"Watching the sunset," I said kind of nervously. "It's beautiful."  
  
"Hmm.guess I really never stopped to look at it. It is kind of nice."  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"Well, it was nice seeing you.Robert. I'll see you at school," she said as she walked off."  
  
From that moment, I knew one thing, and one thing only: Life is good.  
  
Shortly after my encounter with Rhonda, I walked inside, and was greeted by my parents fifteen minutes later. My parents cooked a quick dinner, and we ate. My parents weren't much for conversation, and when they did talk, it was just about work and scheduling. Once in a while I might get a "So how was school, Robert?" but they had began another conversation about the hospital before I really was given the opportunity to answer. After about thirty minutes of this, I headed upstairs and got ready for bed.  
  
Before I went to sleep, however, my dad would usually come upstairs and tell me a story about some crazy patient he had seen that morning. Today he told me about a patient who said that ducks were attacking him in his sleep and taking his vital organs. My dad sent him to a psychiatrist. He would usually tell me stories for about fifteen minutes, and then I went to bed. After all, my parents weren't bad parents; they were just usually overwhelmed with their work.  
  
When my dad finished, I went to bed. It didn't take me long to drift off into sleep that evening, but as I did, I thought to myself: "Will my sonnet really impress Rhonda?" 


	4. Anticipation

4  
  
Well, morning came, and as usual, I woke up just in time to say goodbye to my parents and have my bowl of cereal. I picked up my bags afterwards and headed out to wait for the bus to arrive. Before I left, I checked and made sure I had my sonnet with me, so I would at least have a good shot at winning.  
  
A cold front must have come through during the night, for it was a good bit chillier than it was the day before. This made waiting for the bus much more unpleasant, since the only time I liked the cold is when it snowed and school was cancelled.  
  
The bus thankfully didn't keep me waiting long, as I hopped on shortly after stepping out into the frosty weather. Of course, Helga and Phoebe were already on the bus, so I went back and sat with them. Helga obviously was attempting to intimidate me.  
  
"So, Robbie, you ready to win second place?"  
  
"Oh, I think I just might give you a run for your money, this time, Helga."  
  
"And how is that?"  
  
"Just read it and see."  
  
"Okay, but read mine, and get ready to be disappointed." I handed Helga my sonnet, and she began to scan through it, line by line. Meanwhile, I began to read her sonnet, simply titled Perfection.  
  
Your golden hair, your oblong face before me  
  
My mind in a blur of what just to do  
  
Even though you may not be able to see  
  
How deeply and sincerely I love you  
  
Why must I act so spiteful, like a brute?  
  
When your beautiful face is mine to view  
  
Maybe my heart could have been set on mute  
  
I had no idea, if I only knew  
  
I think and dream of our life together  
  
How close to perfection I would then know  
  
Maybe someday our love will be forever  
  
When I have the courage to simply show  
  
You simple thing, you gift from far above  
  
How I'm reminded that I am in love.  
  
"Wow, Helga, that is really good," I said with as much sincerity as I possibly could. Helga's answer surprised me, she looked at it for about another minute, then looked up at me and said, "Well, it's not bad." You don't know how happy it made me feel that I actually had a chance in Helga's eyes. Now I just got to hope I do in Mr. Simmons' eyes.  
  
On a more unfortunate basis, Stinky had heard our conversation and decided to talk about his sonnet.  
  
"Well, I reckon you guys have got some pretty good sonnets, but I'm afraid you'll both lose, on account of I'm gonna win." He pulls out a small slip of paper and begins to read:  
  
"I see you every day at lunch  
  
And I reckon you keep my heart from dimmin'  
  
When I see you I just want a bunch  
  
You're my one and only friend, puddin' of lemon. Thank you."  
  
"Umm.Stinky, I hate to tell you this, but first of all, that was only four lines long. Second, it wasn't even a sonnet. And third, it was about lemon pudding! I'm afraid to burst your bubble, Stinko, but the only thing that will win is a trip to the trash can."  
  
"I reckon you're wrong, Helga. This sonnet's gonna win me wealth and notoriety. Someday you'll see me with the president."  
  
"Whatever."  
  
Shortly after Helga's debate with the poetic genius, Stinky, we arrived at school. Some of the classmates were excited about the sonnets, while others, such as Harold, were only interested in food. When I walked into the classroom, I overheard Rhonda talking to her friends, Lila and Nadine.  
  
"So, I wonder if Helga's going to win, yet another, poetry contest."  
  
"Oh, I'm just ever so certain she will," Lila answered. "Helga's poems are just ever so touching and oh-so sweet."  
  
"I think my sonnet, Ode to the African Beetle, might give her a good shot, Rhonda."  
  
"Please, Nadine. Like a story on bugs will win. But who knows? Maybe someone else will, maybe even me."  
  
I smiled at that mention, for I was hoping it would be me.  
  
Mr. Simmons greeted us all in his usual fashion, and collected all of our sonnets.  
  
"Okay, class! Now I'm going to read over your special sonnets, and after lunch, I'll decide which sonnet will be recited at our special open house on Friday!" I wish you all the best of luck.  
  
"Oh, great," I thought to myself. "Now I have to wait until after lunch."  
  
As expected, the period of time waiting was unbearably long, and the morning was void of any excitement, except when Eugene Horowitz's desk collapsed, and he was sent to the nurse. Eugene was commonly known as a jinx. Lunch wasn't much better.  
  
Recess usually is a time when I can be entertained and enjoy myself. Even Arnold's club meeting wasn't vaguely interesting to me that day. They were talking about our visit to Dinoland that Saturday. Going to Dinoland might have possibly been one of my favorite experiences in grade school, and the excitement of the trip couldn't even stray my mind away from that one question: "Will my sonnet win?"  
  
Finally, that moment came after lunch. Everyone cam in and sat down, as usual, and Mr. Simmons went up in front of the class. I had my fingers crossed, begging that somehow that winner would be me.  
  
Mr. Simmons then spoke. "Okay class, I have read several special sonnets today and this decision was difficult, so I want you to know, no matter what the outcome, that you are all special and."  
  
"Crimeny, just get on with it, Simmons," yelled Helga, and then mumbled something about a throw pillow.  
  
"Okay, then. The winner of our sonnet-writing contest is..." 


	5. Home Run

5  
  
"Robert! Congratulations, Robert, you will get to read your special sonnet, Clandestine Love, at open house this Friday. Coming in a close second was Helga Pataki and her own special work, Perfection."  
  
I couldn't believe it. My sonnet was actually good enough to win the contest, and, even more surprising, I beat Helga in the process! It looked like my plan would work out perfect. All the students would be at open house, so I would just recite my poem and dedicate it to Rhonda. Hopefully, she would love it, and it would impress and flatter her beyond all reason. After that, it would be me dancing with her out the dance and Curly would be thrown right out the window.  
  
Man, if only things would turn out like they do in your own little perfect dreamland. First things first, I wanted to make sure that Helga wasn't upset about losing.  
  
"Hey, Helga!"  
  
She walked over to me. "Yeah, Robbie?"  
  
"I just wanted to make sure that things were cool, since I.and you."  
  
"Oh, the sonnet? No, why would I be upset? I've won nearly every stinking poetry contest in this cool, except for that one when Phoebe cheated, but I ended up winning it anyway. I think it's cool that you won. Maybe some luck will finally be thrown your way."  
  
It was really cool that Helga took losing that well. I was slightly afraid that she would be furious at me, but she wasn't. Now if Harold won, it might have been an entirely different story, but she was fine with me winning.  
  
The rest of the afternoon was one of the best afternoons I had in a long time. I actually enjoyed Mr. Simmons lecture on how "special" atoms were, and I was even congratulated by most of the class.  
  
"Great job, Robert," came from Arnold, in his typical calm and sophisticated way.  
  
"Boy howdy! I can't believe Helga lost!" From Sid, in his overly emotional tendency.  
  
"I'll be ever so looking forward to hearing your sonnet, Robert," came from Ms. Perfect herself, Lila.  
  
"Well, I reckon your sonnet must have been pretty dang good to beat mine." That one was of course, from Stinky. It was so great, even Rhonda congratulated me (sort of).  
  
"Good job, Robert," she managed to say as she walked passed me after school.  
  
After school, I decided to go and play baseball with my classmates, since; after all, I really had nothing better to do. We played at Gerald Field, a small vacant lot that we found one day and cleaned up. It was a pretty nice lot, and the adults helped us fix it up into a baseball field.  
  
We played usually six-on-six, and I was on a team with Arnold, Stinky, Harold, Sheena, Lila, and myself while we were stuck against Gerald, Helga, Sid, Nadine, Iggy, and Eugene (Eugene was always picked last). Phoebe was the scorekeeper, and Rhonda hated baseball.  
  
I'm not exactly spectacular at baseball, so I was just stuck out in the outfield for the occasional long hit. I didn't really make any spectacular plays on defense, but my real play came when I was up to bat.  
  
It was the bottom of the ninth and all of that other crucial baseball stuff. Helga was the pitcher, and I was ready to swing. She threw a small curveball to me and I smacked it right out of the park! It was the first time I had ever hit a home run without getting any strikes first.  
  
"Crimeny, Robbie! You're a man on a mission today," was Helga's response to my spectacular showing of baseball talent. I had beaten her twice that day.  
  
I only lived a couple blocks from Gerald Field, so I just walked home, and made it just in time to watch the sunset. I didn't stay out too long that day, so I just went in and played on my computer until my parents came home from work.  
  
Dinner conversation was even slightly different than usual. My parents were actually talking to me!  
  
"Well, Robert, I got a call from your teacher today," my mom was telling me. "He said that you won a poetry contest and that you would recite it at open house Friday night."  
  
"We're so proud of you that we've decided to take off work Friday evening and come watch you perform," my dad answered.  
  
"Your father and I are just so proud of you, son."  
  
Now that was unusual. My parents never took off work for anything, except for business trips and anything else related to doctors. But what could I say? I was ecstatic. Not only did I get to recite my sonnet Friday night, my parents would be there. Maybe I could tell them about Rhonda then. Who knows?  
  
After dinner, I did things a little differently. I called and talked to Helga for a while. I just felt like talking to someone that, evening, so I called Helga. We talked about everything we could really think about in thirty minutes, from Rhonda and me to her and Arnold. We decided that we could try to help each other out if we got a chance. I would tell Arnold about how great she was, and vice-versa. Any help, I guess, is good help.  
  
My mom made me get off the phone after thirty minutes, and my dad came in, and talked to me about his new patient today, a native of Cameroon. He said that Cameroon was a small nation in Africa, and that it was extremely hard to find good doctors there. He said he had a disease he called "yellow fever", but he would able to live. My dad loved meeting people with different backgrounds than himself, and it was pretty cool to listen to his stories about them, too.  
  
After he finished telling me his story for the evening, he wished me to bed. It was amazing. I had the closest ting to a perfect day I had ever had in my entire life. They say that perfect days never last forever, and you'll never know when another one comes. Whoever those people were happened to be right. You always want to enjoy your life to the fullest, because you never know when another perfect day will come again. 


	6. The Sun Set On the Sonnet

6  
  
I liked to have thought the next couple of days had come gone, but they didn't. Wednesday and Thursday seemed to be so long I was afraid I would start to collect dust. Mr. Simmons had started a new unit on the Declaration of Independence, and, although it was an important document to our country, it happens to be one of the most boring things to study humanly possible.  
  
To make matters even worse, Helga was out of school for those two days, leaving me best friend-less. She had supposedly caught a stomach virus overnight, and couldn't leave her house. Without Helga, there was no one to be sarcastic to me, and Phoebe isn't a very big talker to begin with.  
  
Unfortunately, the seemingly long time those two days took started questions brewing in my head. It had given me time for those evil things known as "second doubts" to come creeping in my head and posing questions, like: "What if Rhonda hates my sonnet?" and "What if she just gets pissed off and slaps me in front of everyone?" You know, that kind of thing. It took some strong faith in myself, but I had the ability to keep moving on with my plan.  
  
Friday finally arrived. It just so happened that it wasn't as beautiful as all of the other days I described were. Actually, it looked like rain was going to pour down and flood us all away, but it wasn't raining yet.  
  
The rest of the morning continued in the normal routine, with my parents leaving as soon as I woke up and me getting my bowl of cereal. I watched for the bus inside, just in case it rained.  
  
Helga was on the bus today, and seemed to be in pretty good shape.  
  
"Hi, Helga. Are you feeling better?"  
  
"Yeah, Robbie. I guess so. I still feel a little queasy, but Miriam made me come this morning."  
  
"You going to open house tonight?  
  
"Yeah, Big Bob always wants to brag on how good Olga's doing in college as much as he can. You still going with your plan?"  
  
"I'm going to try."  
  
"Well, good luck. Hope princess Rhonda Lloyd enjoys it," she said, and changed the subject quickly, as Rhonda was getting on the bus. "Did Arnold mention me?"  
  
"I don't think so."  
  
"Crimeny! That stupid football head! Why doesn't he care about me when I'm gone!" With that, we arrived at school.  
  
There wasn't much to say about school that day, for it was pretty normal. Phoebe made herself look like a genius, Stinky was confused, and Eugene's locker door broke and fell on him. Harold ate 5 helpings of meatloaf at lunch, and Nadine tried to catch the bugs floating around him.  
  
The only real difference was at recess, when Arnold came up to me and started conversation. Arnold and me got along okay but weren't best friends or anything.  
  
"Hey Robert, how's it going?"  
  
I'm doing all right," I replied out of pretty much surprise.  
  
"Are you nervous about tonight? I mean, having to read in front of everyone, you know."  
  
"Yeah, guess I am a little bit."  
  
"Well, I was just walking around, seeing if everyone was still going to Dinoland tomorrow. Can I count you in?"  
  
"I haven't asked my parents yet, but I'm sure I can come."  
  
"Great. I'll see you later, Robert," he said as he walked away. I figured after tonight, I would probably want a day off at Dinoland, just to relax.  
  
I pressed on through the rest of the afternoon, waiting for the bell to ring so I could go home and get ready. I practically slept through the math lesson, and I think I did sleep through science, but at 3:30p.m. I was freed from the grasp of that terror known as school and was able to head home.  
  
When I arrived at my house, my parents were already home, but they didn't appear to be happy.  
  
"I'm sorry, honey, we have some bad news," my mom said. "One of your father's patients had to reschedule their triple bypass surgery for this evening, and we have to perform it."  
  
"We're sorry we can't be there son, but we promise to be at your next open house," my dad said, for like the millionth time.  
  
"I went ahead and pressed your suit, and I called Sid's parents, and they will pick you up at 5:45." My mom gave me a hug, and said "We're sorry, Robert. We'll pick you up afterwards."  
  
"Okay, mom." I said reluctantly, but I knew there was nothing I would be able to do to make them come. So when they left, I just went upstairs and began to get ready. Open house started at six, so I would have to miss the sunset, but today, it might be worth. I grabbed a quick snack about 5:30, and shortly after, Sid and his parents picked me up to go to open house.  
  
"Hey, Sid," I said to him as I got in the car, and began to drive away.  
  
Open house started in the typical Mr. Simmons fashion, with him explaining to all the parents how "special" all of us were. He then spent the next hour and a half showing the parents work that we had done in school and our grades. Sadly, I just had to look at my own things, without parents to look at them with me.  
  
I saw Rhonda on the other side of the room, looking at her work with her parents. She as wearing a maroon dress that emphasized her beauty more than anything I had ever seen. Her black hair shined, her dress shimmered in the light. She was the more beautiful than anything else on Earth; I just hoped she liked my sonnet.  
  
Finally it came to be that time for me to read my sonnet. I was so nervous that I practically had a seizure just waiting for Mr. Simmons to call me to the front, but finally it happened.  
  
"Okay, now, to end our wonderful open house, one of our very students, Robert, is going to read a very special sonnet he wrote for my class. So everyone give Robert a big round of applause as he reads his sonnet, Clandestine Love!"  
  
This was the moment of truth. I stepped in front of the class, about to recite my sonnet, revealing one of my deepest secrets and filled with extreme terror. But as I thought about it, I realized that this might be my only chance to impress her and win her over before the dance next week. So slowly I squeaked out the words, and started to gain more confidence as I went along.  
  
"Um.this is a sonnet I wrote for someone, and it's called Clandestine Love, as Mr. Simmons said. I hope you enjoy it."  
  
I slowly began to read:  
  
"I've seen you from places so faraway  
  
And I have found you from spots much nearer  
  
I have viewed you almost every day  
  
There is nothing that I have held dearer  
  
Yet when I see you, petrified to speak  
  
Of all the things that I have so much thought  
  
Yet when you're around, I get quickly weak  
  
Despite pounds of love that I have then brought  
  
I am always trying to look for the time  
  
Frantic as a creature, scanning for food  
  
But is clandestine love really a crime?  
  
So I try, even if it does no good"  
  
I paused for a second. I guess I was just scared to finish it out.  
  
"But in these thoughts, I bear nearly no shame  
  
My mind water calm, but my heart untame"  
  
The poem was finished but I wasn't done as I slowly said the words that could give me sure happiness, but could also curse me until the end of my days.  
  
"I love you, Rhonda." And with that, Rhonda and her parents ran out of the room.  
  
I and someone I forgot completely about closely followed them.  
  
Curly. Somehow it slipped by mind that Curly would be at open house. He didn't seem to be very pleased, as he yelled "I'll get you for this, Robert!" as I ran away.  
  
I stepped outside just in time to see Rhonda drive away with her parents, but as she left in their convertible, she smiled at my just for a second, and then was gone. My parents picked me up soon afterward, and as I traveled home and went to sleep, I could only think of one thing.  
  
One smile can mean the world. 


	7. Dinoland

7  
  
Sometimes, after a long stressful, week, you just need a vacation from it all. As of that Saturday, that was what I needed, a day with my friends in Dinoland. I had asked my parents when I got back, and they granted me permission. Arnold was friends with Sammy Redman, the owner, so he had the ability to get us all in for free.  
  
I woke up on Saturday morning and quickly put on some cool clothes, since I was going to be out in the Sun all day. My parents didn't work on Saturday, but I still was surprised to see bacon and eggs on the table for breakfast.  
  
"Since you did so well on writing your poem, son, we decided to make you breakfast," said my mom as I entered the kitchen.  
  
"Um.thanks, mom."  
  
"After all, you're going to need your energy for your big trip to Dinoland today!"  
  
I finished off breakfast in a hurry, and said goodbye to my parents. I then walked over to Arnold's house, our designated meeting place. While I walked along, I began to think about the events of open house.  
  
I hadn't heard anything about Rhonda's reaction since the smile the night before. The whole incident was still fresh on my mind, but I would try my hardest to at least forget about it until I had a chance to talk to her. After all, there's nothing more annoying to your friends than repeatedly telling them about your love life. I also had a fear inside of me of Curly, but I don't think he'll do anything to me for a while. He tends to attack when least expected, and it would be expected today.  
  
Well, anyway, I arrived at Arnold's house at 9:30, the last guy to arrive. Most of Arnold's club was going, pretty much everyone but Curly, who was nowhere to be seen. We all walked over to the bus stop, and took the bus over to Dinoland.  
  
Dinoland was the ultimate treat for any kid wanting to have a good time. Dinoland had the coolest rides, the prettiest park, and the best pterodactyl legs in all of Hillwood City. In Dinoland there was no rules, no worries, nothing to get in the way of a good time.  
  
Okay, there was one problem with the gang visiting Dinoland: Eugene. Eugene was, undoubtedly, the biggest jinx in history, and riding anything with him pretty much meant certain death. In fact, he was banned from Wankyland, the only other amusement park in the area. Just ask Arnold, who rode with Eugene on the roller coaster last time we came. Arnold and Eugene were stuck for hours, until the cherry picker that was to rescue him malfunctioned. Then it was several more hours before they were safely on the ground. From then on, Eugene always rode different rides than us.  
  
Eugene wasn't even a problem that morning. In fact, there weren't any problems that morning. We rode every ride in the park (except the rides in Kiddiesaurus Rex, the baby area), and had quite a blast. I hadn't had that much fun at Dinoland in years.  
  
It was lunchtime, and we were all sitting at the Carnivore Café, enjoying our pterodactyl wings, and just shooting the breeze between one another. I thought the guys would have said something sooner, but the topic finally came up.  
  
"So Robert, do you really like Rhonda?"  
  
It was kind of a stupid question for a smart kid like Arnold to ask, but I went ahead and answered anyway.  
  
"Yeah, I think so,"  
  
"Well, I reckon you must have some guts, Robert, on account of you said you loved her in front of everyone," replied Stinky  
  
"You're a bold kid, Robert. A bold kid," added Gerald.  
  
Everyone happened to be quite supportive of me, which came as a surprise. I had thought that they all wanted Curly to be with Rhonda. Man, I was about as wrong as wrong can be. In fact, Sid even said that I was "so much better for her, anyway". It felt good to have some support, and maybe they could even help me out a little bit. I knew one thing, for sure though: this would give me a much better chance of getting Rhonda Lloyd to go to the spring dance with me.  
  
We wrapped up our trip to Dinoland pretty shortly after that, after we went on the roller coaster one more time, while Eugene rode the Din-O- Whirl, causing his car to fall off the ride and go into Dinoland Lake. We would've stayed longer, but Gerald had a doctor's appointment, and Arnold was going to a movie with his grandpa. Sadly, I didn't get much of a chance to mention Helga to Arnold, but I thought I might get a chance eventually.  
  
We rode the bus back to Arnold's house, and I walked home from there. It was about 4 o'clock when I finally reached my house, and my dad wanted me to watch a movie with him. It was a wonderful movie, called Korrotia: The Discovery. It starred a guy who found out that his loved ones were in trouble, and he went to the end of the earth just to get him back. The movie made me think significantly about Rhonda, and that I never give up, no matter what my chances are of winning her over. My dad said the movie was based on a book, and I decided I might have to read it someday.  
  
After the movie, we had an early dinner, which gave me the chance to tell my parents about my trip to Dinoland, and other matters of life. I didn't tell them about Rhonda, though.  
  
We finished dinner just in time for me to go outside to watch the sunset. It was another one of those beautiful evenings, where there wasn't a cloud anywhere to be seen, and the crimson sky just stretched out before you in a never-ending horizon. Suddenly, I was caught by surprise, just like that night several days ago.  
  
"I thought I'd find you here." 


	8. Conversations In the Dark

8  
  
I look up to gaze into the face of Rhonda Wellington Lloyd.  
  
"Um.Hi, Rhonda."  
  
"Hello, Robert. I thought that after what.happened last night it would be best if we sat down and talked about it for a while."  
  
"Okay, I guess we can do that."  
  
"First of all, I thought I would start off by saying I was very flattered with your poem last night. It was beautiful, and I could tell you wrote it right out of your heart. It was quite lovely of you to do that for me."  
  
"Thanks." I really couldn't think of anything else to say.  
  
"Well.before I get started, I just had one question I really need to ask you."  
  
"Okay, sure, Rhonda."  
  
"I just need to know if you really do love me like you said you did."  
  
I paused for a minute. This is one of the most difficult questions you can possibly be asked, since you really don't know how to answer. After thinking about it, I finally said, "Yes. I really do love you."  
  
Rhonda looked down at the ground for a minute. I could tell what she had to say would be something that I might have a hard time taking. I was now nervous beyond all reason.  
  
"I thought about what to say to you all of last night and today. Although I really did love your sonnet, I just can't be your girlfriend right now, Robert. School is ending, and there's so much going on right now, I just don't have time."  
  
"Oh," was once again, my magnificent reply.  
  
"However, I have decided to be willing to go to the spring dance with you next Friday, if you want me, too.  
  
"I'd be honored, Rhonda."  
  
"That's great. It's easily better than going with that nutcase, Curly. Plus, maybe if things go well, I might be willing to give this relationship a shot."  
  
"Okay, I guess we could try it. You know, I was so scared that you wouldn't like me that I never really talked to you."  
  
"Well, you're talking to me now, aren't you?"  
  
I took a minute to pause. My whole life was changing before my very eyes. Two days ago, I had thought I was a fool for even trying to go through with this, but now, it seemed there was nothing foolish about it.  
  
"It's a beautiful night, isn't it?" I finally said.  
  
"Yeah, I guess it is, now that I've really gotten a chance to look at it." She sat there for a minute, watching the sunset with me, and then slowly began to get up. "Well, I guess I should be heading home now. I'll see you later, Robert. Thanks for talking to me."  
  
"Bye, Rhonda," I said, and as she walked away, the Sun finally traveled beyond the horizon, leaving me with darker skies as I climbed to my feet and walked inside for the evening. The moment was over.  
  
That Saturday was the best day of my life. This time I wouldn't be putting any possibility of anything being better, or saying any great quotes or anything of the sort. That Saturday was just simply the best day of my life.  
  
I thought a lot about what happened that evening at the sunset. I'm not use to saying things that my parents typically say, but I really was growing up so fast. It seemed like it just was a couple of days ago when we were all just normal, fun-loving kids. But we were getting older, and starting to begin to take new interests. After all, I'd be ten soon, and in the fifth grade.  
  
I felt like the answer to all of my questions would be with Rhonda. Just talking to her for that short period of time, I felt like a whole new person. I felt like all of my problems were carried away and I was in a new world. A world where there were no problems, no hardships, and no hate, just Rhonda and myself.  
  
Of course, no such world existed. It might have been a nice thought, to think of such peace. It would never happen, though. After all, I was only nine years old, and although life was going fast, I still had my whole life ahead of me. What I made of it was really up to me. Who knows, though? Maybe things will go well with Rhonda and me at the dance, and my whole future will be set in stone in front of me. Either way, my world was changing, and dragging me along for the ride.  
  
It was about 8:30 when I made it up into my room. I felt like I really needed to talk to someone, so once again, I called Helga. Her sister, Olga, was coming over for a visit, and didn't get to go to Dinoland with the gang. So I figured she might want to know about it.  
  
"Hi, is this Helga?" I said into the phone.  
  
"No, this is Olga, Helga's sister. Are you one of her playmates?"  
  
"Um.yeah, I guess so."  
  
"Just one minute!" Olga yelled "baby sister" and I heard Helga stomp down to her and mutter something, then pick up the phone.  
  
"Yes," said Helga angrily into the receiver.  
  
"Hi, Helga, it's Robert."  
  
"Oh, hey Robbie. Did you enjoy Dinoland?"  
  
"Yeah, it was okay. We just rode some rides. Nothing special. Something else happened afterward?"  
  
"What? Did Eugene get hit by a car?"  
  
"No. I talked to Rhonda."  
  
She paused for a second, and then ended the silence with "What happened?" in which I was forced to tell her the whole conversation between Rhonda and I. She was surprised to her the result of the conversation.  
  
"Crimeny! She's actually going to the dance with you? Rhonda Lloyd never goes to dances with anybody! Now, if only I can get the Football Head to go with me."  
  
"Well, why don't you just try what I did? Just get to Arnold before he has a chance to ask Lila. Who knows? If you ask him right, maybe he'll go with you."  
  
"I can't. Arnold will just turn me down, or think I'm kidding."  
  
"Come on, Helga. What have you got to lose?"  
  
"I don't know Robbie, everything! I'll be embarrassed and everyone will make fun of me and Arnold will hate me forever!"  
  
"Just give it a try, will you?" I said in between her ranting.  
  
She sighed, but finally agreed. "Okay, I'll try, but if he turns be down, you're going to answer to me."  
  
"All right."  
  
My mom then came in and told me it was time for bed, so I said goodbye to Helga and got ready to go to sleep. It had seemed that I had done everything right that day, and was as happy as I could be. So I drifted into sleep that night, quite pleased with myself, but unaware of the nightmare that lay before me, and I'm not talking about a dream. 


	9. When Curlys Attack

This is the revised version of the chapter, with a different ending so the horrible hate mail would end. Just kidding. Thanks for the reviews everyone! I now accept anonymous ones.  
  
9  
  
It was a dark and stormy day. I know that it seems impossible, but it really was a dark and stormy day. Despite the weather, I woke up refreshed, ready for another day at school. I had my bowl of cereal, and went outside to wait for the bus. About then the weirdness commenced.  
  
When I walked outside, I heard this strange voice calling out to me from behind the house, saying "Robert, Robert. Come help me Robert." It was a deep, raspy, voice, unlike any I've ever heard before. The voice kept calling to me as I drew nearer to the point where it was from, still saying for me to help it. I finally turned into the area behind my house, to simply find a tape recorder saying, "Help me, Robert," and from behind me, I heard a familiar cackle as the bus drove past my house. Curly had made me miss the bus.  
  
With this major setback, it now took me much longer to arrive at school. This caused me to be late for school, which led to Mr. Simmons lecturing me on how he wants to see his "special" students on time everyday. In case you couldn't guess, the day got even stranger from there.  
  
At around ten o'clock each morning, Principal Wartz would get on the intercom and give the announcements for the day, reminding us, of course, that all lunchtime activities shall be conducted in the lunchtime period. Unfortunately, that day was different. Instead of hearing the typical monotone of Principal Wartz, we got the loud, psychopathic voice of Curly, stating, "Ladies and Gentlemen, we interrupt the usual announcements to bring you an important. Our very own classmate and friend, Robert, has not bathed in three weeks!" It was embarrassing, that was for sure, watching all of my fellow classmates scoot as far away from me as possible, despite me denying it.  
  
I was hoping that Rhonda wouldn't believe what Curly was saying, but I really couldn't tell what she was thinking from where I was at the time. All I knew is that Curly had already sabotaged me twice, and I would have to try to find a way to stop him before he struck me again and took away all chances of Rhonda even looking at me ever again. However, nothing could have prepared me for what Curly was going to do next.  
  
Somehow, I survived until lunch. I went through the lunch line as usual, and came out to take a seat at my table (they were the only ones who knew I had good hygiene). Somehow, I didn't notice how everyone seemed to be chuckling at me. Others gasped in disbelief. Finally Helga told me what the reason for the attention was when I sat down.  
  
"Um.Robbie, do you know what's on the back of your shirt?"  
  
"No, I don't think so."  
  
Helga nearly stopped herself but she said "It says I Love Helga Pataki on it".  
  
Now this made me mad. Curly was trying to make it look like I loved Helga instead of Rhonda. This guy had to be a total nutcase. "Do you really think I love you?" I asked her, still slightly in disbelief.  
  
"Well, I don't know," she responded. "I also got a box of chocolate and flowers that said they were from you." As soon as she said that, Curly started speaking on the intercom again (I don't know how Curly was getting such access to it).  
  
"Come on, Robert. Why don't you just give it up? Why don't you just tell us how much you love Helga? That you really meant to write that sonnet for her instead of Rhonda, didn't you? You just wanted it to look like you loved someone else, since Helga was your best friend and you weren't ready to jeopardize your friendship. Just let it all out for us all now, why don't you?" Just then Rhonda walked by me, and left without saying a word.  
  
Now I was furious. I had never been that mad before, so I just started screaming.  
  
"I do not love Helga! You are the biggest liar I have ever heard in my entire life. Just because you don't get what you want doesn't mean you can take it out on everybody else! So why don't you just shut up, Curly! Just SHUT UP!!"  
  
"Calm down, Robbie!" Helga screamed as she pulled me back to our table. "Just calm down, I think I know a way that we can fix Curly up good and get him out of your hair and help me out at the same time."  
  
"How's that?" I asked after I finally was back to normal.  
  
"All we need to do is."  
  
It was now after school. Everyone was at their lockers, putting their stuff away and getting ready to leave. I had been watching Curly ever since the bell, while Helga was waiting out front of the school to hear the result of my plan.  
  
Curly was now at his locker, so my chance had finally come. I slowly walked up to him, ready to eliminate Curly from all of my problems.  
  
"Okay, Curly. I admit it was a pretty good stunt you pulled on me today. I realized that the whole thing was actually pretty funny, even if I don't like Helga like that."  
  
"You really think so?" Asked Curly. "Maybe I should try making up secrets more often."  
  
"Hey, speaking of secrets, I heard you had one.""  
  
"Really? What did you hear? Not my ballet lessons!"  
  
"Um.no," I said shockingly. "I heard from one of my friends that although you pretend to like Rhonda, you really like Lila, and are just keeping it secret."  
  
"What? Who said I love Lila?" He didn't see me mess with my pockets when he said this.  
  
"Oh, I'd just heard it from some people, but if it's not true, then it's no big deal."  
  
"Well, it's not."  
  
"Okay. Well, I'll see you later, Curly."  
  
I then walked over to Lila, who was just walking out of the building.  
  
"Hey, Lila, I just heard something interesting that I thought you might like to know from someone."  
  
"Well, I'm just ever so certain I would like to know," she replied.  
  
"I was just over at Curly's locker, and he was telling you just how smart and pretty you are. He said that he would die at the chance to go to the dance with you."  
  
"Wow, I never really thought of Curly like that.are you sure?  
  
"If you don't believe me, I recorded part of it for you," I said as I pulled out the tape recorder I had in my pocket the whole time.  
  
"I love you, Lila," was what came out of the recorder. I just started the recorder so it made it sound like Curly loved her.  
  
"Gosh, that's just ever so sweet. Arnold won't mind if I go with Curly to the dance. After all, I just like Arnold; I don't like him like him."  
  
"Yeah. I'll see you, Lila," I said as I walked off, and watched Lila walk over to Curly and begin to tell him that she wants to spend every waking moment with him. Curly looked scared to death. Sure, it was mean, but it was the only way.  
  
Helga was overjoyed when I told her the results minutes later. Now not only did Curly taken care of, but Lila was too, and Curly wasn't even mean enough to dump Lila before the dance.  
  
"Okay, now you have to ask Arnold," I told Helga as I walked to the bus.  
  
"I guess I will, Robbie, if it makes you that happy."  
  
I talked to Rhonda briefly that evening, just to make sure she knew that Curly was lying.  
  
"It was pretty obvious," she told me, and talked about all the crazy stuff he does to try to earn her affection.  
  
"He is a freaky kid," is what she summed everything up with, and went home for the evening.  
  
It looked like everything was going perfectly now. Curly was finally out of my way, Arnold is now available to Helga, and Rhonda is going to the dance with me. Plus, things are looking like she might really like me. This was starting to get interesting, and the dance was only a couple of days away. How would it go? Only time could tell. 


	10. Reborn

10  
  
The days ticked by. It wouldn't be long until the dance started, and I was excited as can be. Friday crept up on me, it was now the afternoon before the dance, and I was upstairs getting ready. Soon I would have to pick up Rhonda, and the evening would soon begin.  
  
The last couple of days weren't the least bit fascinating to me. Everyone else was bustling with the excitement of the upcoming dance, but I just kept my cool. I already had everything in place, so there was no reason to run around insane, trying to get a date.  
  
Everything went pretty much as expected. Peapod Kid took Nadine, Gerald took Phoebe, and Eugene reluctantly took Sheena. Sheena practically got down on her hands and knees and begged Eugene to take her, and he finally agreed. Eugene would probably hurt himself at the dance, anyway, and end up being carried away on a stretcher.  
  
By now the sudden "pairing" of Curly and Lila had become common knowledge, and everyone was excited about it except for Arnold and Curly himself. Arnold had ran out of luck with Lila taken to the dance, so he had no choice but to take the only other girl in our class: Helga! Helga was jumping for joy when I talked to her later. She didn't even have to ask him! She deserved it, after all that Helga had been through in her life with her family. It was about time Helga got some luck thrown her way.  
  
Anyway, I put on my dark blue suit and tie and combed my hair down for the first time in ages. I even took an extra shower, to make sure I didn't smell. I guess you could say I was a little bit nervous, but one would have to expect that. After all, this was the first date of my entire life, and I was due to pick Rhonda up in thirty minutes.  
  
I know most of you are wondering how my parents were going to take me to the dance if they worked until late. Well, my parents weren't taking me. I had to walk to Rhonda's and walk a short distance to the school. It sounds pretty stupid, but I guess it had some sort of classic charm to it. It would give us more time to talk.  
  
I finished getting ready, and soon headed out the door to head towards Rhonda's house. I left ten minutes early, just because I really didn't want to be late to picking my date up. It kind of sets a bad impression, or maybe I was paranoid, but I began my journey to Rhonda's house to begin the evening of truth.  
  
I arrived at her house about five minutes early, so I slowly knocked on their door, scared to death for some reason or another. Sadly the worst person in the world answered the door, Rhonda's father.  
  
"Well, hello there. I take it you must my princess's date for the evening. And what might your name be again?"  
  
"Um.Robert, sir."  
  
"Well, Robert, you seem to be a nice young man, so I take it you will be wanting to see Rhonda?"  
  
"If she is ready," I replied.  
  
"It will just be one moment," her dad said as he went to call her down. Okay, her dad was actually pretty cool. He was probably cooler than my dad, and he had a bunch of money.  
  
I saw Rhonda walk down the stairs shortly afterward. Let me tell you, in all of my nine years, I had never seen someone more beautiful. She was wearing a crimson long-sleeve shirt (almost the same color as the sunset), and this long black skirt that shimmered like it was the jewel of the entire world. She had on black dress shoes, and dark red lipstick that matched her outfit perfectly. To top it all off, she had a gorgeous white pearl necklace around her neck, one I had seen before at previous dances and occasions. She was perfect, and this night was shaping up to be perfect as well.  
  
"Hi, Robert. Ready to go?" She asked me as she descended the staircase.  
  
"If you are," I replied and waited for her to come down to me. We then said goodbye to her father and walked out the door.  
  
"You look beautiful," I told her as we began walking down the sidewalk toward the school.  
  
"Why, thank you, and you look very chic yourself, Robert."  
  
"Thanks. You looking forward to tonight."  
  
"I sure am. This is the last dance of the school, and just everyone's going to be there. It will be so much fun."  
  
"Well, we're here," I told her as I held the door so we could go inside and begin the most important dance of my life.  
  
Rhonda's prediction was correct, for just about everyone I knew was there, from Helga to Mr. Pakenham, the fifth grade teacher. Even Harold, the supposed "girl hater", was there with his date, Patty. Before the dance began, Rhonda went around and said her typical "hellos" and complemented (or insulted) people on their outfits. I was cool with that; the dancing hadn't even started, anyway.  
  
After a while, the dance finally did begin, and loud dance music started to blare over the stereos. We were only nine, so the really don't play many slow songs at school dances (except that horrible song Dino Spumoni did that one time). We typically had a great time, no matter what songs were playing.  
  
I did have a great time that evening, but there really isn't any reason to describe every song that played every minute. It pretty much went as expected, with everyone having a good time together. Even Helga and Arnold seemed to be partying that evening. Rhonda and me talked quite a bit, but not about anything serious. I did learn that her favorite color was red and she liked sandwiches cut in triangles, though.  
  
We just talked about silly things like that for the longest time, until the announcement was made that the final dance was coming up, and this beautiful music began playing over the stereo. It was some slow song called "Together Forever" that I had never heard before. As soon as it started, Rhonda and me began to dance in the center of the floor as she began to talk to me.  
  
"Robert?"  
  
"Yes, Rhonda?"  
  
"I'm afraid I have something to tell you. A confessions to make."  
  
I was starting to get that feeling inside. That feeling that one guy never really wants to have. The feeling of rejection. I went ahead and responded, anyway, with just a simple "yeah?"  
  
"I really did have a great time with you tonight, but I really don't like you like that. You have been really great to me and all, but we're only nine years old. We have our whole lives ahead of us. I mean, maybe someday we'll have a chance, but I want to keep my options open for now. It's just too early in our lives to be in a relationship of this level. Do you understand?"  
  
I nodded. I was in shock and had no real idea of what to say. My whole world just seemed to be crashing down on me. The music finally stopped as Rhonda kissed me on the cheek and walked away, saying nothing but a subtle "goodbye". At least I wasn't the only one feeling down, as I watched Curly.  
  
"I know, Lila, that I said I didn't like you like you, but I was thinking about it and realized that I don't just like you, I like you like you."  
  
"You know, Curly, after you said that you didn't like me like me, but just liked me, well, I went home, and I felt pretty bad for a while."  
  
"Sorry, Lila." It all seemed too familiar.  
  
Helga seemed to fare slightly better, and left with a smile on her face. Maybe things were starting between Arnold and her. At least she was happy, so the night wasn't a complete failure.  
  
As I began walking home, I started to think to myself if this night was really wasted at all. I spent this whole week trying to reach the unreachable, to achieve the impossible, and I almost did. I had almost done something nobody in P.S.118 had ever done before. I had gone from a nobody to getting a date with the coolest girl in class.  
  
I guess I finally got what I wanted, after all. Although I didn't wind up with Rhonda in the end, I was finally noticed. I had gotten out of my shell, and maybe I would finally be remembered for something. For being the one who had the guts to say, "I love you" in front of the whole school, the one who defied the odds, the one who stopped at nothing to get what he wanted.  
  
I knew for at that moment that my life was void, dark, and back at square one. The Sun had finally set upon me, but like that gorgeous sunset that I had watched ever since I was little; I knew that the Sun would always rise again, never changing, day after day.  
  
My name is Robert, and I am reborn.  
  
THE END  
  
  
  
The sun is rising, the end of dark  
  
And you hear the sound of a morning lark  
  
You're happy, but you're far from home  
  
And then you realize that you're alone  
  
The day goes on, you say no words  
  
You hear nothing except the birds  
  
If only you had only known  
  
How you would end up all alone  
  
The time is noon, you're in a trance  
  
You thought that you had had a chance  
  
But the love you'd found had come and gone  
  
And then left you completely alone  
  
It soon gets late, the moon exists  
  
You didn't know it'd end like this  
  
For all the care your mind had sewn  
  
Would leave you here, a dot, alone  
  
The night has come, the time's gone now  
  
But you'll find another way somehow  
  
For all the specks that had then shown  
  
That silver star, of you, alone 


	11. Author's Note

Author's Note  
  
Hi there, and in case you don't know me, MY name is Chief. I guess I could be considered new to the fanfic world, and next to "Biosquare 2", this is my first story written for Hey Arnold! Even though this story has been finished for weeks now, I decided to post a note pertaining to this story, and promoting my sequel and Miss Matched's fanfic awards.  
  
In case nobody could guess, this story was largely a true story about my life, just transmitted into the Hey Arnold! world. Most of everything in this story was based on something that happened to me a few years back (with the exception that my relationship didn't even go as well as Robert's). All the poems and songs in this story I wrote myself.  
  
Next off, I would like to promote my sequel, "Robert Revisited". It's a new adventure that takes place in fifth grade, several months after the past events. I hope all of my "fans" will check it out when it debuts soon. As for "The Really Weird Her Arnold Race Around the World", I can't really say if it ever will be completed, although I want to finish it. It was one of those things that was a good idea, but really hard to get ideas for.  
  
Finally, I would like to promote the Hey Arnold Fanfiction Awards. Miss Matched was kind enough to start these for us hard-working authors of the world, so I've decided to post a bunch of her ballot and stuff up here (hope she doesn't mind). If anyone likes this story, be sure to vote for it!  
  
The 2002 Hey Arnold Fanfiction Awards!  
  
Best Over All Author: This is the one author that you love the most. You don't just love one or two Hey Arnold stories by them, but all of them.  
  
Best General Story: Best story from the "General" section.  
  
Best Humor Story: Best story from the "Humor" section.  
  
Best Action/Adventure story: Best story from the Action/Adventure section  
  
Best Mystery story: Best story from the Mystery section  
  
Best Sci-Fi, Fantasy or Supernatural story: Best story from the Science Fiction or Fantasy or Supernatural (Only 8 stories in this category. Wow, eh?)  
  
Best Angst story: Best story from the angst section  
  
Best Romance does not exist. Why? Too many stories!  
  
So, we have...  
  
Best Gerald/ Phoebe Romance  
  
Best Helga/Arnold Romance  
  
Best Unlikely Romance (Helga/Gerald, Arnold/Phoebe, Helga/Made up Character, Brainy and Miss Matched (Joking, Joking... :-D) so on and so forth). Or maybe even Robert and Rhonda.  
  
Best Minor Character Romance: (PeaPod Kid and Nadine, stuff of that sort!) Rhonda and Robert could work here, too.  
  
Other Awards...  
  
Best Soliloquy: Best story featuring mostly one character talking to his or her self, and revealing their thoughts without addressing a listener.  
  
Saddest Story: Story that made you cry and think at the same time  
  
Most Meaningful: A story who's lesson can also be used in real life.  
  
Best Short Story: A one shot that left you saying "Woah"  
  
Best Songfic: A story who's song is woven in perfectly with the story.  
  
Daydreamer's Award: This one has special meaning to Miss Matched, so there will be three, yes, three Daydream award winners. These three coveted awards will be given to the stories that you stayed up late at night thinking about. Yes, you may nominate three stories.  
  
Note: Horror is disqualified because the one story submitted is two words long.  
  
Suspense is disqualified because no stories are from this year.  
  
Remember, send in your lists to miss_matched@hotmail.com  
  
Oh, and review for this story, too? 


End file.
